In this LKL Web Exclusive, actress and UNICEF Ambassador Lucy Liu sheds light on the disturbing practice of human trafficking. Its wide is reach, and the numbers are staggering. We are also discussing the topic on the show tonight, and Lucy is among our guests.

The horrifying rape and murder of five-year old Shaniya Davis in North Carolina shattered her community and left a nation struggling to comprehend the unspeakable depravity of such acts.

What happened to little Shaniya — who was allegedly sold for sex by her own mother to settle a drug debt — should serve as a powerful wake-up call to all Americans to do everything in our power to stamp out human trafficking, both at home and abroad.

This by no means is an easy task. Trafficking in people is one of the fastest-growing and most lucrative international crimes, generating approximately $9.5 billion in profit every year. Sexual exploitation accounts for the vast majority — more than 79 percent — of the pervasive trade in human beings. It is unfortunately difficult to get reliable numbers because of the hidden nature of these crimes and the reticence of victims to come forward.

Most appalling is the buying and selling of children, who should not even know of these atrocities much less experience them. Yet, as many as 1.2 million children are trafficked worldwide each year, and in some countries children account for the majority of trafficking victims. Little girls and little boys are sold as slaves — forced to work, forced into marriage, forced to beg, forced to fight in wars, and forced into prostitution. This violent underworld robs children of their childhood, deprives them of an education, exposes them to abhorrent abuse, increases the risk of HIV infection, and can lead to early death or a life of extreme poverty, cruelty, and alienation.

The reality is detestable, nauseating — but we cannot allow ourselves to turn away. In order to put an end to this worldwide injustice, we must become as organized, as sophisticated, and as relentless as the criminal syndicates who perpetrate it.

I recently co-produced and narrated a documentary film entitled Red Light, about children sold into the sex trade in Cambodia. This Southeast Asian country is an international hub for human trafficking, and, astonishingly, the traffickers are not just organized criminals: They are also parents, relatives, friends, intimate partners, and neighbors.

Filmed over the course of four years, Red Light follows the stories of young Cambodian girls who were trapped in a sickening world of terror and abuse, and who are heroically struggling to reclaim their lives. The film also highlights two remarkable advocates, Somaly Mam, a grassroots activist, and Mu Sochua, a local politician, who have dedicated themselves to helping these girls recover and to bringing the perpetrators to justice. Both women have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, and they serve as a constant source of inspiration for me.

It is heartening to know that there are many other individuals and organizations, including UNICEF, who have made combating child trafficking a top priority. But we need more people to join us in the fight — we need a growing chorus of voices to let governments around the world know that trafficking must not be tolerated.

As a UNICEF Ambassador, I believe the most effective strategy for protecting children is a holistic one. We cannot address the violations of human trafficking in isolation. In countries around the world, everyone needs to work together to make sure that laws guarding against trafficking are enforced — and that children, parents, teachers, and others are armed with the knowledge and skills they need to prevent and report abuse.

In many countries, UNICEF has helped initiate community surveillance systems that monitor and prevent attempts to exploit children. UNICEF also helps train police officers to be more aware of the issue, works with governments to strengthen laws that protect children, and provides resources for programs that help victims.

Child trafficking won’t be stopped unless we also attack its root causes, which include poverty and a lack of access to education. UNICEF and other excellent organizations are working on those fronts as well, but they cannot do it alone.

As we enter the holiday season and reflect on the needs of others, let us vow to shine a light of hope in the dark corners of the world. Let us do it for Shaniya Davis, for the girls who have been sold into brothels in Cambodia, for all those other children whose terrible suffering goes on unchallenged and unnoticed. Children are our most precious resource. If we can’t protect them, what is worth protecting?

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Lucy Liu, I'm a fan that has enjoyed your many roles and contributions to the art of film media around the world, thank-you.

Lucy, Liu, how involved is the Vatican with child Trafficking?

It seems a lot of children have disappeared in Africa, S. America and the Orient around Vatican workers and surfaced in the sex trade markets half-way around the world from the point of their kidnapping.

The recent case of a Christian organization attempting to kidnap and recruit children to bring across the Haitian border recently under the false guise of 'adoption' appears to be simply the tip of the iceberg of child trafficking around the world by similar groups of Vatican missionary's for wealthy buyers seeking child slaves for various nefarious purposes.

Joe G. (Illinois)

April 4th, 2010 6:30 pm ET

“In order to put an end to this worldwide injustice, we must become as organized, as sophisticated, and as relentless as the criminal syndicates who perpetrate it.” (By Lucy Liu)

You are wrong Ms. Lucy Liu.

Morally just people need not to stay behind or “Right on top” of the footsteps of evildoers in order to combat evil like you are suggesting..

Instead, if you really want to combat evil, you fallow the footsteps of Jesus Christ. Plain and simple. And I did say plain and simple for those who really care and want to help..

Or you can disregard my proven advice and keep doing it your way, the unsuccessful way to show everybody how much you really care.
Thank you and good day.

A. Smith, Oregon

April 4th, 2010 9:13 pm ET

The Rwandan Genocide which resulted in 1 Million African native peoples murdered certainly resulted in a huge number of children with out parents. Undoubtedly, some of those parent less children were preyed upon and ended up in the clutches of human trafficking organizations.

Of those few that were convicted of causing the Rwandan Genocide were TWO Christian priests!

Obviously, those Christian priests and their Christian flock thought they were following Jesus's footsteps when they murdered their neighbors and lured hundreds of family's into buildings where they locked the doors and burned those buildings with those poor people still live inside.

Historically Christian priests have ordered the murder of MILLIONs of people and undoubtedly this led to many millions of children that lost their parents ended up in the clutches of slavery and the human sex trafficking traders.

When asked about these incredible historical evidence and facts of utter hypocrisy, Christians habitually are taught to use their ole well used chestnut of 'well, they were not true 'Christians'.

Pope Ratz is seen as the Head of the Largest Christian organization in the entire world. By his zealot followers, Pope Ratz is the apostolic successor of Jesus.

Pope Ratz appears to have been directly involved in shielding habitual serial pedophile Vatican clerics and moving those horrific predators to new parishes where those same serial predators of children raped and sodomized hundreds of new innocent children.

Is Pope Ratz following in the footsteps of your 'Jesus'???

It's plain and simple alright, if the perceived apostolic successor of Jesus is involved in the global crime against humanity in shielding and aiding serial predators of children then 'following the footsteps of Jesus' are EMPTY WORDS often used to promote the most grievous and horrific crimes thru-out the world today.

a

April 4th, 2010 9:17 pm ET

I wanted to applaud CNN for shedding light on this important issue. I'm an average person who wishes that such important stories found their way into my daily media diet more often. Please continue to support this crucial, investigative, life-and-death work, and please follow-up on this story over time so that viewers know what is happening and what we can do about it. Thanks. – A touched viewer

J. Caldwell

April 4th, 2010 9:57 pm ET

Great way to shed light upon this topic. But my question to you is do you feel bad for those playboy bunnies who choose to be willing slaves for sex? Hugh hefner is a famous pimp so that makes it ok? Its a parents fault for selling their kids, which is a crime in the U.S. That is sad what is happening in other countries but most of the slavery going on in America, the victims are traffiked here. American woman have been psycologically programmed to think that they are supposed to be promiscuous which is sad. A good topic but most american girls and woman are exempt from this because they do this by choice. Just ask the women at the mustang ranch in the state of Nevada.

liz

April 4th, 2010 10:02 pm ET

Why did the lady from Mexico have to go to jail for hiding the murder weapon of her enslaver? If the US government was really helping, as the 2 guests claim, how did they miss her? Why aren't judges and lawyers helping these women??

Larry Sanburg

April 4th, 2010 10:04 pm ET

I'm really disappointed in Lisa Ling and Ashley Judd and Lucy Liu for not asking the Homeland Security guest about the disparate treatment of US and foreign victims. Throughout the program all three (Ling,Judd and Liu) all reiterated the problem of different treatment of victims based on national origin. Why didn't they follow up with the government guests??

DAYTON HUMAN TRAFFICKING ACCORDS

April 4th, 2010 10:17 pm ET

We salute the awareness this show cast on this critical issue of human trafficking in America. We are in San Diego and implementing the DAYTON HUMAN TRAFFICKING ACCORDS in our community, but need more funding for the victims we support daily.

In conjunction with Marisa Ugarte of the Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition, we urgently ask for those interested in doing something about the issue raised on this show,...

The guests were phenomenal, the problem is urgent, you help is needed!
peace,
phil cenedella

The Dayton Human Trafficking Accords
WHEREAS,
WE can end human trafficking and slavery, but only if we solemnly commit ourselves to that common purpose.
We must confront the global scourge of trafficking and slavery beginning in our own local communities.
We as individuals and all institutions of society have a moral responsibility to end trafficking and free slaves from their captivity.
NOW THEREFORE,
WE undertake a solemn commitment, beginning now, to end the scourge of trafficking and slavery
And to take immediate action in our communities to
Stir society’s conscience to action against trafficking and slavery
Rescue and restore victims of trafficking and slavery
Identify and punish traffickers and slavers
Promote legislation and public policies to eradicate trafficking and slavery
Address the social, cultural and economic causes of trafficking and slavery
So that
We will end human trafficking in our time.

“IF SLAVERY IS NOT WRONG, NOTHING IS WRONG.”
Abraham Lincoln , April 1864

M.W.

April 4th, 2010 10:31 pm ET

I recently happened to catch the movie "Human Trafficking" with Robert Carlyle as the villain. It was nightmarish and nauseating at times. The bad guys are bold, organized, and heartless. I hope your new movie sheds even more light on the topic and somehow helps the poor victims of the skin trade.

Kim Nielsen

April 4th, 2010 11:16 pm ET

RE: In response to human traficking;
My father, Gregory Nielsen beat and tied me up and raped me when I was 5, he bagan when I was 3 (maybe sooner), I nearly died from a 3rd story fall when my mother pushed me as a result my skull was fractured and my parents left the state of Connecticut to outwit P.S. My father had 2 friends that raped me and one of their sons age 7-9 raped me ( I was 7-8) as well while his father video taped, I presume for his financial gain, his father and brother raped me numerous times, my dentist molested me- Dr. William Bradly, DDS, and he gave my father a 'special rate'. My mother knew from day 1 and beat and raped me with a toilet plunger when I told my kindergarten teacher, and P.S. never got involved. My 2nd grad teacher made me give him a hand job. My brothers and sister have also been victimized. Yet, to my knowledge not one of those monsters has been aprehended. I had symptoms of PTSD by the time I was 7. Not ONE person helped me. What does that say about society ? I remain for the most part 'aloof' from the mainstream of society because I more than so many people know what people are REALLY like. There is no 'Devil' only the evil conceived in the mindsof men. I wasn't 'Sold' – far worse – I was given away like an unwanted dirty sock. The death penalty NEEDS to be the minimum punishment for 1st time child rapists – I don't get a second chance – why should they? My vagina was destroyed by my 5th year – do I get a new one? The scars that I sustained will haunt me for the rest of my life – but I no longer struggle with wanting to kill myself, I seek instead Justice, because those scum bags aren't worth it !

Jacqui Nielssen

April 4th, 2010 11:39 pm ET

We can all help to play a part in stopping human trafficking by not renting or buying their filthy DVDs and not subscribing to their garbage "movies" on cable television. It is obvious that most of the females in these porn movies are underage girls who were clearly forced into the participation of these sexual acts. I think if the majority of cable providers and video store owners who have children were to watch the movie "Taken" starring Harrison Ford, they would think twice before providing these filthy "movies" to customers. If they don't provide them, then we wouldn't have them to subscribe to.

Cajazz76:24:8

April 4th, 2010 11:57 pm ET

@Kim Nielsen

It's not my expertise to give professional advice to someone that has undergone such a hell on this earth, but I hope you are able to somehow find a way to get through such a tragedy. I just want you to know your words will resound in my head and heart for a long, long time. You have an open and honest approach to what you experienced, hopefully it will be a warning to some and a comfort to others.

There is far too much money spent by law enforcement that is not near as important as protecting the children in this country and the world. I have to agree with you that the penalties for child abuse should be severe and in certain instances final. I wish you the best and your story should be told loud and often...

Jacqui Nielssen

April 5th, 2010 12:02 am ET

I salute activist like Asley Judd and Lucy Liu for their unrelenting effort in stopping human trafficking. God's blessings to both ladies.

Niz82

April 5th, 2010 12:11 am ET

I wasn't aware that this was still occuring in our world; I think it's is absolutely wrong, needs to stop, and those who human traffic, are extreamly serene!

Sandy - Illinois

April 5th, 2010 12:31 am ET

I know of a case but there is no real response with housing, counseling, food, money, medical care, or anything else to help these people. She was told to go to a shelter but that's all that can be done now. I don't think there is a coordinated response.

JT Warner

April 5th, 2010 12:37 am ET

I'm really impressed with Ashley Judd's knowledge and passion about this horrible problem. Government authorities in Thailand, India, Mexico, Brazil, etc., could do so much more to stop this; they must be aware of what is happening in their countries.

chihmeng

April 5th, 2010 12:44 am ET

I saw this artical , I'm sick , Because Cambodia is my homeland ,I travel there for 5 times , I saw all the redlight district , all I know it Cambodia are not produce any thing , they take all foreign aid ,put in their pocket , child and woman have no job , they can only sale they body ,become sex slavery , why international don't getting into that to the now Cambodia authority .

Jason - Columbus

April 5th, 2010 12:57 am ET

This show was very hard to watch and painful to believe. This should never happen, but absolutely not in this day and age. We need to do something to stop this. It looks like right now the link to donate to UNICEF is it.

Thank you Lucy Liu for doing this show and working for this tragedy.

btw, Joe G. from Illinois: your comment is nonsensical and crazy. Your religious fundamentalism has nothing to do with these people who need help desperately.

Jeremy Dailey

April 5th, 2010 1:02 am ET

Check out iSanctuary, an organization that works with survivors of human trafficking in India.

Dennis DeMille

April 5th, 2010 1:05 am ET

I have no money tospare, because of the post Bush/Cheney economy, but what can I do do help?

Norma Mullican

April 5th, 2010 1:42 am ET

Thank you for tonights show. Each time there is a program like this, it sheds more light on this horrible crime. There are many people already involved in the war against trafficking, but we need more to get involved. My daughter and I have written a children's book about a little flying squirrel named Rooster to help children learn how to be safe. One half of all proceeds goes to a non-profit for victims of child sex trafficking. The other half goes to raise awareness. We just need help in getting the book out there and into the hands of kids. A Collection of Squirrel Tales – xulonpress.com.

josephine

April 5th, 2010 4:01 am ET

By far, the most lucrative child trifficking conglomerate is
California's "so-called', Child Protective Services. Poor people live in daily fear of CPS and the Police Department. Our children are taken daily and become slaves and abuse victims. Some wind up dead or maimed. Our government sanctions this abomination.
They know we can't afford adequate legal counsel. They appoint you a Public Defender,'Public Pretender', who just sits there and goes along with whatever the D.A., or county says. Never an objection or anything. The Judges in the courtrooms allow this. Each foster child is worth $1,000-$15,000 monthly . So. please don't tell me how child trifficking is in our own back yard. It is right in the poor people's faces, sanctioned by our own government. Find a solution to this first,

Jessie from Auckland, NZ

April 5th, 2010 6:50 am ET

This is sickening stuff to hear alright. My heart just goes out to all the victims of these sorts of crime.

I commend Lucy Liu and all the others who are doing their best to help with this disturbing problem. May God be with them all and strengthen them, in their fight for justice and against evil. Their efforts will not be in vain. God bless them all.

Prof Dave W. Dawson

April 5th, 2010 9:52 am ET

How do you negotiate with Slave Traders?
How do you take down Slave Traders?
Is Slave Trading such a lucrative market?
LEGAL Bounty-hunting against Slave Trading should be considered.
WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE is the right message to the Slave Trade industry.

Gerald Jolly

April 5th, 2010 11:50 am ET

@ Kim Neilson.

My heart bleeds for you, and I agree with all that you say.

The penalty for child molesting and abuse should be the death penalty, and no other sentence.

You are one of millions that suffer the same faith on the planet, and as we all hope and wish, the authorities in any country should triple their efforst to bring this travesty to an end, with the severest of penalties accorded to the perpetrators.

My prayers go out to you and it is my hope that you can find happiness in your life through the kindness of those that share your pain and wish you love.

Judy L Yoakum

April 5th, 2010 12:05 pm ET

I have been searching & searching for the Documentary – "Red Light" co-produced by Lucy Liu. I definitely want to see it .. buy it? – whatever.
This human trafficking issue is HUGE & I wish to do all I can to help promote social awareness. Last night I viewed the Larry King Live presentation featuring Lucy and Ashley Judd speaking on this horrible situation.
I recently read the Kristof/WuDunn book, "Half the Sky" which is a"passionate call to arms against our era's most pervasive human rights violation: the oppression of women & girls in the developing world." Please advise how I can obtain the "Red Light" documentary.

Ted

April 5th, 2010 1:13 pm ET

@ Kim Nielsen

It is not very easy to shock me, however your lines sent shiver over my back!!
My second thought was, here is someone trying to pull our legs, as I cannot imagine such heartless parents and evil persons in one bunch.
So if you are having fun with us, then there is one for you!
If you are not kidding, then I wish all your torturers will suffer hundred times more than you did.
Revenge is an ointment that will not erase the past suffering, however it may give you a very small satisfaction.

Joe G. (Illinois)

April 5th, 2010 1:57 pm ET

ALL I’M SAYING IS THAT IF YOU REALLY WANT TO SMOTHER THE EVILS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING, you need to make an effort (A personal effort / A Community Effort / A Regional Effort / A State Effort / A Nation’s Effort) not to carry evil into your own heart’s and daily lives.
That’s how you smother evil.. Whether it be Human Trafficking, Drug Trafficking, etc, etc, etc.
Amending the hearts and souls of all those who are and have been victimized in the past is a totally distinct and separate undertaking..

So if you care about those people and want to help them, get real, get honest, help accomplish something rather than expressing opinions of disdain and self-righteousness.

Cajjazz76:24:8

April 5th, 2010 3:20 pm ET

@Ted

I would be more than happy if Kim Nielsen's reveal was false. Sadly, I too was skeptical and did a name search in the area where she lived or lives and the names, including the dentist, showed up in a reasonable proximity.

Joan

April 5th, 2010 4:06 pm ET

I saw a piece on my local television station that said that in the county where I live it has he second highest rate of young girls being abducted an used as sex slaves in the whole country. I had no idea this was going on at all, let alone it's a huge problem in my city. I have had problems myself with men making U-turns in vans and trucks, pulling up on the sidewalk several feet in front of me when I am walking down the street and I run across the street to avoid having to walk past the truck or van and the men get mad and peel out real fast. I never felt comfortable living up here, am not from here, and I don't feel comfortable waiting for a bus a bus stops. I notice the married men staring real badly and it's just not a good situation. I'm interested in why this is happening, who are the men who are abusing and raping these girls who are being abducted? What has happened to societies, what has gone so horribly wrong?

Seeing that 1 billion people in the world make $3 a day and that 27 million people are being held as slaves, something is very, very wrong with the world. Why don't these countries practice birth control? That would help with the poverty. I suspect religion and corrupt governments are involved in lack of birth control. We have to ask ourselves as a supposedly civilized society, why are all of these wealthy American men having sex with children and doing these horrible things? I don't know what the answer is. I see one small cause with the fact that men biologically think about sex all of the time and some women stop having sex wth their husbands thinking they won't mind. This may be an outpicturing of our failed divorce laws, women being able to no longer have sex with their husbands thinking it doesn't bother them, and it's turned into abuse and rape of young girls. I'm just trying to figure it out. I know when I lived in a big city where women work and men aren't sex starved, I never had men following me and I didn't feel scared like I do living here. There are some serious problems with human beings. Something is so out of wack. I don't know. Part of it is definitely overpopulation, but that does not account for why married men are raping children. I hope we get to the botttom of it and take whatever action we need to as a society to make this stop. I saw one young girl in a special called Sex Slaves In The Suburbs who had been abducted and held for six weeks until her parents were able to get her back. She said that a few months later she saw one of the men who had raped her on the beach with his wife and kids and he was joking and laughing as if nothing was wrong. She had been strangled, beaten, rapped, so many bad things. I don't know, but something is wrong with our society.

Walter Johnson

April 5th, 2010 4:58 pm ET

There is freedom of free speech here in America, but take a look at what some of you are saying. That many of you are disagreeing with the efforts by those in the UNICEF organization. You are disagreeing with Lucy, Miss Lin, and Miss Judd. You would feel totally different if it was your son or daughter taken underneath your eyebrows by organized crime and placed into a criminal lifehood. This is a big problem, and 3 people can't take care of it by themselves, and need your help and support to pull in others. I feel sorry for the children brought into this world and not taken care of by the working mother and father, which having to utilize all day babysitting. This is when a disconnect takes place between the parent and child. Parents should understand that bringing the child into this world will change their lives, but some aren't willing to change enough, and continue to want to work the executive route. Stay home and enjoy your children grow like a joyful flower in bloom.

James

April 5th, 2010 6:28 pm ET

I would really like to have any info on this mattter. My wife and I reported her human trafficking case to the FBI Human Trafficking Division and because she was still having alot problems remembering somethings that had happened to her, which was some of the most horrifying things that I have heard. They ( the FBI) closed the case after they only received some of the info. I found out they closed the case when at their request I called to give them some more details and dates that fell into the statute of limitation of 7 years. They still insisted that they could not help us. So my question is how does the Law Enforcement of this country expect victims to come forth to help get these criminals behind bars if they turn you away and threaten you to either lay low or get deported right back into the hands of the crimanals that enslaved her for 8 years of her life making her to be a sex slave, labor slave, and drug runner,and numurous other acts I would not like to mention by threatening the life of her family in her home land( which she could never return due to her being searched for to the day) and the threats to kill her daughter that they kidnapped. So back to the first question, is there anyone that can help us keep my wife and stepdaughter safe from the reach of these horrible people, because when we went to what we thought was the "proper authorities" we was turned away. Please dont think this was a just an angry outburst towards the FBI, I too was in law enforcement for years and I'm just really confused at the response we had received from them. also not really requesting that this be posted, more that if some could please help us from running from these people in fear of the worst for my wife and daughter, The only help wwe got so far was we took her daughter back from these people on day and fled thanks to my badge the day I resigned from the police department. After that day we have been running from these people. SO PLEASE DO NOT POST THIS COMMENT, BUT PLEASE IF THERE IS ANYONE THAT COULD HELP JUST POINT US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. Thank you.

Monica C.

April 5th, 2010 7:48 pm ET

I think more awareness needs to be brought to people about this problem via media coverage- instead of wasting valuable air time on people like Tiger Woods and his PERSONAL problems.
People need to be educated on how to identify victims, how to report suspicious individuals, how to help, how to make a difference.
I ask myself almost everyday how I can help but I just don't know how. And it is easy to tell me to "simply donate", but how do I know my money is really changing lives??? You can't even trust your priest these days.

Jessie from Auckland, NZ

April 5th, 2010 8:18 pm ET

For one, can probably blame all the disgusting porn that is freely floating around the place and polluting this world we have to live in. Sex is so glorified like it is the be all and end all of everything. It is in our faces on the media day in and day out, EVERY MINUTE OF THE DAY!!!!!!!!! Just becomes so sickening and boring!!!!!!!!!!! It is used at every opportunity to promote this and that. Get real people. There is more to life than this, surely.

There is the well-known biblical saying..........that you "REAP WHAT YOU SOW"!!!!!!!!..........and that is what is happening now and probably since time began. The thing is.........it is just getting WORSE and WORSE. We are supposed to be in an enlightened age.........I'm afraid NOT!

Jessie from Auckland, NZ

April 5th, 2010 8:31 pm ET

The sad fact of today's societies.........is that sometimes both parents have to work to support the family. Wages are being dumbed down more and more. It is like we are going back. Also, stay-at-home mums seem to get looked down upon, because their job is not classed as paid work. It is just a vicious circle nowadays. You can't win it seems.

Kim Nielsen

April 5th, 2010 9:18 pm ET

To James who wants to know how to effectively 'hide' from the criminals; why not go to witness protection agency at your local courthouse and get new identities?

Joan

April 5th, 2010 9:33 pm ET

I don't know. I don't think the parents are at fault at all. Why are men grabbing young girls walking down the street in this country, kidnapping them and raping and beating them? I got so upset at one point, I walked down the street with mace spray in my hand. I try to be aware of my surroundings, not be out at night alone, if I see someone come after me, I pay attention and try to go around them, cross the street. But, you can't always protect yourself that way. If some guy pulls up in a car with a gun, what can you do? I wish the police could prosecute every man that had sex with these girls. If the smuggling rings could be broken up and if men knew their buddies were being arrested and serving time in prison, it would stop.

Kim Nielsen

April 5th, 2010 9:44 pm ET

Some of you wonder if I am telling the truth or not?! I can swear before God that what I have revealed is not only true but a mere fraction of the abuse that I endured.

The 'authorities' do seem inept in ALL aspects of helping victims, and to the point that they actally help the criminal most of the time.

I agree that one of the biggest problems we face in societies obsession with 'sex' in the media. But, stopping sex in the media won't 'cure' pedaphaelia as they have the highest rate of recidivism which means that they are basically incurable. Maybe genetic testing will one day reveal a pedaphile gene?!

My mother was available for my father but he preferred 'little girls' even to this day. A pedophile has no one to blame but himself (herself).

So, now that we can openly discuss the far reaching devastating effects of human trafficking / slavery and see the real need to take an immediate and drastic effort to put an end to the heartless sickness – the question that remains is 'how to accomplish this.'

And instead of saying 'good job, Lucy!' we should all – each and every one of us, raise your voice for the children who can't speak out of fear for their lives, campaign in the streets, check on those who seem 'suspicious' victim or assailant, we as a society need to be vigilant in order to stop this desrtuction of innocent lives.

How many children do we actually see everyday with our own eyes who are sad, downtrodden, bruised, avoid eye contact, etc ? What do we do? We look the other way and say that it's not our business to interfere? I saved an endangered bird from imminent death last weekend but I have NEVER been able to save even one child! Do we need 'Big Brother' monitoring care givers and how do we know the guy watching the monitor isn't involved in a trafficking ring?

Kim Nielsen

April 5th, 2010 9:51 pm ET

I'm just curious as to where some of you live that you are afraid to walk down the street? I know that in the big cities men are more agressive on the streets, but to 'grab a girl walking downt the streets' makes me think of 'Sodom and Gomorrah'.

Please! Move to the country!

DAYTON HUMAN TRAFFICKING ACCORDS

April 5th, 2010 9:56 pm ET

Good posts Kim – thank you for sharing and calling for action!

We are here in SD, work with the Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition who has 3 safe houses operating tonight.

What we need is funding to provide quality services to the 24 victims we have tonight,.....and help us rescue the other 300+ victims in San Diego.

One city, way too many victims, not many resources........ but people who are deciated to ending this crime in our own community.

Any readers that can help us, Polaris, or others,.....please step forward. We can make a difference, we can turn the tide against the traffickers with focused effort!

peace,
phil

James

April 6th, 2010 8:32 am ET

To kim Nielsen, thank you for the advise. But the option of witness protection has already been explored and thats a no go. We was turned away for that as well. The problem with that is we can change the names but the faces have to stay the same. To popular believe this would work great, but you have to understand when people want to find you they will in todays society of electronics. I find these people every week so to keep "tabs" on them to try to stay three steps ahead of them. When the come knocking on doors of relitives saying they're "old friends" looking for you. You tend to learn how they find you, just to stay safe. When we report this to the athorities they tell they cant do anything untill a crime has been comitted. Well the crime has been comitted and nothing has still been done about it. The only thing thats been done was a protection order that they do not enforce unfortantly because they use third party people to get around it. So any help in the "right" direction would greatly be appriciated. And I do thank you Kim for the helpful advice. Unfortanly I thought of that has well and so far the revenues I explored from my LE background has unfortantly been a dead end and I pray that one day that term does not fare to be true for us. So the laws that help protect victims of this crime does truley need to be looked at and re examined and rewritten to FINALLY protect the victims not the criminals. 7 years is not a very well thought out statute of limitation when your were held captive and beaten to near death amoung other horrible acts against you. these people walk free to this day doing the same things they did to my wife and stepdaughter(daughter) and we get turned away when we asked for help and they would not even look into this unless we had names of someone that is currently being enslaved. Well how about the women and children that escaped from this and tried to hide this tarrible crime committed against them. I found out about what truley happaned the day my wife tried to commit suicide because she didnt want to keep hiding this from me, she was afraid that I would leave her if I found out about her past. This just brought us closer as a family, but now they waited so long to do anything abouot it we just have to keep looking behind us to see who is there. Some should look at the effect on the victims of the crime and she the error in the statute of limitation to try to help these victims. the only thing that did not happen to some of these victims was death but that would be to late for alot of them, as far as my wife she suffers everyday and death thank God has not taken her through her severe PTSD and I pray that it doesn't. So maybe some law makers needs to look into changing this as a start! It would help lead to the capture these crimanals when the victims from foriegn countries may finally be able to find someone that will listen to them. My wife tried several times to get help during her enslavement but was turned away, so trust and change needs to come.

Joan

April 6th, 2010 12:01 pm ET

Kim,
It's happening in the surburbs, not in big cities. I saw it on my local news. Men are literally grabbing young girls off the street and holding them in motels as sex slaves. In big cities there's a lot more employment, a lot more educated people, so they make more money, they can afford divorces, they are much more civilized all the way around. When you go into outlying areas where unemployemnt is 30-40 percent, young people drop out of high school at the rate of 50 percent, marriage is a mess and the people are so poor they can't afford divorces, then the men talk women. Cities are much safer than suburbs. Also, in big cities there are lots of groups that give people help, whereas in the suburbs most people don't know they have any rights, they go along with all kinds of unethical things not knowing there are government agencies and advocates who will help them.

Joan

April 6th, 2010 12:11 pm ET

Who are the people who are spending billions (with a B) of dollars on sex slaves? We see what continues to be revealed about the Catholic church where priests are told not to have sex and not to think about sex. I don't know. We all pretend marriage and the nuclear family is working, but no one appears to be happy at all, and who are these men spending billions of dollars to have sex with children and young women? Mainly married American men. It's an outpicturing of overpopulation and marriage and the nuclear family being unsustainable, it isn't working in mass, that's why this is happening. I don't think society is ready or able to face up to it yet, but this is what happens when societies do not face it's problems. There are more slaves now than ever before in the history of mankind. This is beyond an epidemic of things are not working the way we are living. No one is going to deal with it until law enforcement can do things like get ahold of video from motels where these girls are being held and identify all of the men who go into those motels and arrest them. Women are not going to deal with the problem. The only thing that will stop it is if law enforcement puts many of these men in jail. If marriage and the nuclear family was working one bit, men would not be spending billions of dollars on sex like this, and men would not be commiting felonies by kidnapping, torturing and abusing women.

Peggy in DC

April 6th, 2010 1:51 pm ET

Saw the April 4th program and want to compliment all the people working so hard to bring this terrible plight to the front conscience of America.
Who was the author and what is the name of his book – I can not find it on the CNN page and I want to read it. PLEASE if anyone knows who the blond gentleman was on the show with Lucy from April 4th and the book title, I would greatly appreciate it. AND I AM GETTING INVOLVED
Thanks
Peggy in DC

Cajazz76:24:8

April 6th, 2010 1:59 pm ET

Ted

You certainly are a wonderful person with a great sense of insight, foresight, and hindsight. You always have my attention when you write.

Kim Nielsen

Your being listened to...don't stop because as painful as it is to read, you share what so many cannot bring themselves to do. I will always marvel at your intelligence and forthrightness and I think that you may have done more on this blog than you may ever realize.

Thank you so much, all of you, it is my wish that through narrating my suffering others might be spared, if together we can bring down this criminal operation and change laws to end this abomination then we can all say that 'it was worth it.'

Kim Nielsen

April 7th, 2010 9:37 am ET

This should not be posted please!

Could Phil, or one of you within an organization please contact me at my email address? A few days ago I suddenly rememered the name of the man that video taped his son and I – and within 5 minutes I found a probable match and he only lives a few hours from me. But to verify that it is 'him' I need to check his employment history back to 1969 and I can only go back 20 years. He is associated with a 'ranch' that would be of interest as well.

Let's include in all this the way the uS sanctions such practices by allowing the so-call business trips to the Middle East where pedophilia is legal. Of, course there is all so free trade with China and the outsourcing of manufactured good to China all in the name of profits, again sanctioned by the US government, while the Chinese people working in those factories are living in deplorable conditions. The COMMUNIST Chinese government is padding its pockets on the sweat and despair of the oppressed working class. My father served in the Army and Air Force, fighting communism and oppression. I have uncles that died for the same cause and it sickens me that we allow trade with a country that oppresses its people.

Joe

April 19th, 2010 8:14 pm ET

All I have to say is:

(Somaly Mam Foundation, Hagar Cambodia, The Blind Project, AFESIP Cambodia, and of course UNICEF) Just type these names into google and go there...see how they help the precious survivors with their recovery programs. There is much info on all these sites, reading as well as video. For example Hagar Cambodia has a video where a young girl speaks about how her life is blossoming again after her rescue...a beautiful description!

However, you must not "sanitize" yourselves from the horrors–be willing look straight into the face of this awful situation. We can't solve a problem that we are not willing to look at. It saddens me when I see an opportunity to inspire each other to help these (mostly young girls) turned into a political/religious shout down.

Thank you Lucy Liu for you efforts and to Somaly Mam who suffered for ten years in this hellish world of trafficking, may you and your efforts be forever strengthened.
Joe

Sophan

June 17th, 2010 12:19 pm ET

Congratulation for Somaly Mam and Madam Sochua! Your dedication and hard working must be heard by the world.

I like the phrase stated that "Child trafficking won’t be stopped unless we also attack its root causes, which include poverty and a lack of access to education".

The couple, grassroots advocate and local politician activist, has significantly contributed to Cambodian society as whole.

I wish them both success!

jim s

July 25th, 2010 9:31 am ET

in the past the vatican has tryed to demonize unicef the catholic church heirarchy contended that unicef was nothing more than a
vehical to encourage birth control and abortion there concerns were not with abused and tortured children there worry was keeping unicef from looking in there direction. and the abuses going on in there own house

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